Tobacco-booking machine



'(No Model.) 2 Shets-SI1eet i.

J. PRANGLEY.

' TOBACCO BOOKING MACHINE.

No. 366,251. I Patented July 12,1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Shee1;s-Sheet 2.

J. PRANGLEY.

TOBACCO BOOKING MAGHINE. P10366251 Patented July 12,1887.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES PRANGLEY, on LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOBACCO-BOOKING MACHINE.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,251, dated July12, 1887.

' Application filed March 14, 13.17. Serial No. 230,868. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES PRANeLEY,a citizen of the United States,residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTobacco-Booking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to tobacco-booking machines, so called, wherebythe action of the operator in laying Successive leaves of tobacco on thepile is caused to register the nu mber of said leaves. I

-The=object of the present invention is to make this registration easyand certain, and to provide for holding at will tobaccoleaves of greateror less length.

The said invention, therefore, consists partly of a slatted yieldingtable on which the tobacco-leaves are supported, in combination withsprings which foree said table upward and outward, and clamps which holdsaid leaves in position on said table, keeping the latter in the shapeof an arch, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

The Said invention consists, also, in the combination of registeringdevices and a pawl or toothed arm, whereby they are actuated, with aflexible top or table for supporting the tobacco leaves, andrelatively-fixed clamps above said table, said pawl or arm moving withsaid table or top when the latter is depressed.

The said invention also consists in a flexible spring-actuated table ortop for supporting and holding the tobacco-leaves, the relativelyfixedclamping -b]ocks,' against which said leaves are forced. by said toportable, and the means for adjusting said clamps, substantially ashereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation ofmy tobaccobooker, showing clamps of the roller-form, fiat springs, andthe slotted adj usting-plate. Fig. 2 shows a detail view in perspective,taken from below, of the slatted table. Fig. 3shows in front elevation amodification similar to Fig. 1, but having spiral springs. Fig. 4. is adetail perspective View of another form of the thereon.

clamping-blocks. Fig. 5 represents a rear viewin elevation of the upperpart of the machine. Fig. 6 represents a detail View of a modified formof the plate for supporting and adjusting the clamps, it having a seriesof holes instead of slots; and Fig. 7 represents a detail edge view ofthe dial-plate.

A designates the base of the machine, and B the supporting frame orstandard raised A slat, O, is attached at its rear end rigidly to saidstandard or frame, and extends horizontally forward from the top of thelatter, forming the crown-piece of an arched table, D. The remainder ofsaid table is made up of slats d, which lie side by side and are attached to flat springs E, these springs being fastened at the middle tothe under side of the fixed slat O. A cover, F, of tough flexiblefabric, is also attached at the middle to said slat C, but on the upperside of the latter, and

hides said slats and theintervals between them. These intervals are,however, very slight, but would be an inconvenience in booking thetobacco it left uncovered. Of course I do not confine myself to theparticular form of spring above described. For example, spiral springsE, as shown in Fig. 3, maybe employed, flexible strips e being used toconnect the slats one to another.

G designates a plate attached to the upper part of the standard or frameB and extending horizontally on each side thereof. Near each end it hasa slot, extending obliquely outward and downward with aslight curvature.This slot receives a screw-threaded rod, h, extending from the rear endof each clamp-H. A thumb-nut, I, turning on the rearwardlyextending endof said screw threaded rod, holds it and said clamp at any position ofadjustment which the slot 9 in said plate will allow it to take. As thetwo ends of the plate G are alike, and the adjusting devices hI,corresponding thereto, are alike also, the adjust-- ment of said clampstoward or from each other may easily be effected. This adjustment allowsthe booker to conform to leaves of greater or less length. The highestparts of the slots 9 are be low the slat 0, so that the clamps H, beingheld below the top of the arch of the table D, compel said table toretain the form of an arch in spite of the upward action of the springsE.

This arched form of the table is exceedingly convenientin the operationofbookin Some times I make use of a different formof clamp, as shown inFig. 4-. This isa six-sided clamping-block, marked H, broader than thickin the figure, though obviously modifiable in dimension and shape.Sometimes, as shown in Fig. 6, I provide the plate G at each end with aseries of holes, g, instead of the slot The screw-threaded rod h of eachclamp is simply moved from one of these slots to another, instead ofbeing slipped along the slot. Of course the nut I must first be removed,it being replaced after the clamp reaches its new position. To the underside of one of the slats d, on the right of the upper slat, G, a lug, d,is attached rigidly. A long pawl or arm, J, is pivoted at its upper endto said lug, the lower end of said pawl or arm bearing a toot-h,j, whichengages with the teeth of a ratchetwheel, K, jonrnaled on a stud, It,which extends forward from a tablet, L, fast on the front of the upperpart of frame or standard B. This pawl turns said ratchet-wheel with astep-by-step motion whenever the right-hand part of flexible table 13 isdepressed. A retaining-dog, m, is pivoted to said tablet and forced intoengagement with said ratchetwheel by a spring, a. M designates a pinionon the front of said ratchet-wheel, and, of course, turning with it.This pinion engages with agear-wheel, N, turning on another stud thatextends forward from said tablet. A dial, 0, on the front of said wheelN, indicates the number of leaves on the table by the ligu res whichsaid dial successively presents uppermost. A lug, p, on the back of saiddialwheel N, strikes the tail q of a hammer, P, attached to said tablet,and causes said hammer to strike a bell, Q. at each complete revolutionof the dial. The operator simply draws the leaves one after anotherunder the clamps and over the flexible table. Each leaf depresses thesides of the table a little more, and each depression of the right-handside of said table causes the registering orindicatin g action abovestated. Of course the inflexibility of the crown-slat C does not affectthe general flexibility of the table nor its availability for thepurposes stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A flexible table and a pawl or toothed arm attached thereto, incombination with clamps arranged above said table and holdingit inarched form, registering devices oper- V ated'by said pawl, and springsoperating on said table, substantially as set forth.

2. A flexible table, clamps arranged above the same, and an arminterposed between said table and the registering mechanism, incombination with springs for forcing said table upward toward saidclamps, and registering mechanism operated by depressing said table toadmit the tobaeco,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a flexible table and springs for forcing the endsof said table up ward, with clamps arranged above said table andadjustable toward andfrom each other to conform to the length of theleaves, substantiall y as set forth.

4. A fixed plate, G, having slots 9, in com bination with the clampshaving screw-threaded rods and nuts for adjusting them, described, theflexible table below said clamps, and the springs which force the saidtable toward said clamps, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES 'PRANGLEY.

Witnesses:

ALLAN A. Hnan, M. L. HERE.

